Fear of Man
by Shaishimo Kira
Summary: Sango had a bad experience in the past.She never had a relationship because of it.Kagome gets a new bf and is determined to set her up with 1 of his friends.Miroku realizes that shes afraid.MS IK RS AK rated for possible Mirokuness later on.
1. Prolouge

Fear of Man

Sango rolled her eyes as Kagome yammered on about her new boyfriend, InuYasha Taishio. They had met through Rin, a friend of theirs, who had had recently married his older half-brother, Shessomaru Taishio.

"He's the nicest guy; I can't wait for you guys to meet! I know you'll approve!" Kagome was very giddy right now because it was their lunch break and they were going to visit him.

"I'm sure I will Kagome…" she muttered.

'_Of course you won't! You don't approve of any male! Not after what happened eight years ago!'_ her conscience reminded her.

Fuck off; I don't wanna remember that…

'_Whatever…'_

"So what did you say he does again?" she asked.

"He's a cop, for the millionth time. What's you're problem with guys, Sango? You've never in your life had a boyfriend, and you freak out over guys all the time. You've got Kuranoske too scared to ever ask you out now."

"I wouldn't go out with him; we've got no chemistry…" she lied. In all truth, she was scared to death of the thought of a relationship with a man.

Meanwhile:

Miroku was listening to InuYasha growl about how late he was, and he was getting tired of it.

"What is you're problem!" he finally demanded.

"Well, my girlfriend is coming by the station, and she's probably there already, which means she's probably gonna kill me." His friend responded.

"I didn't know you had a girlfriend!"

"Yeah, she's a friend of Rin's…we met at the wedding. Here, take a look, this is her and one of her friends, I haven't met the other girl though." InuYasha pulled a picture out of his wallet and handed it to Miroku.

It was of two girls; one was about twenty, the other a bit younger, same age as InuYasha's last girlfriend, Kikyo, nineteen, twenty at the most. They were at the beach in revealing two piece bikinis. On the right was the younger one, she was definitely Yasha's girl, but what about the friend?

She looked happy enough, but her eyes lacked the sparkle of happiness that her friend's had. Her smile looked forced. All together, she looked miserable.

Beautiful too.

Beautiful and miserable.

"So, the one on the right is yours, left is the friend." He stated, turning his attention back to the road. He returned the picture then used the back of his hand to wipe some blood off of his face from a wound he got on his cheek from a drug bust not twenty minutes ago.

"Yeah, Kagome said her name is Sango, seems to think that you two would be great together after I told her about you. She's bringing her by the station today." He replied, trying to sound casual.

"InuYasha…" Miroku groaned as he pulled the car into its spot at the station. The second it stopped moving he banged his head on the steering wheel several times, then just rested it there.

"Hey, Miroku, I swear, _I'm_ not trying to set you up; Kagome is."

"Thanks, but I told you, I don't need a woman. I'll find the right girl for me, we'll fall in love, happily ever after, I guess."

"C'mon Miroku! Maybe you can at least help the girl!"

"With what!" InuYasha looked hesitant.

"According to Kagome, who's known Sango all her life, she's never been in a relationship with anybody. From the sounds of what she did last time someone asked her out, I think she's scared."

Miroku contemplated this for a second, and then brushed it off.

They were just about inside when a red mustang pulled up. The younger girl from the picture climbed out of the driver's seat and ran at InuYasha.

"Inu, sorry I'm late!" she bubbled happily.

"It's okay, I'm a bit later too; drug bust."

She gave him a peck on the cheek and then looked at Miroku.

"So, you must be Miroku." She said, offering her hand.

"Miroku Houshi, yes; you must be Kagome."

"Why, yes I am."

"Yes, Yasha showed me a picture, but who was that friend of yours? I think Yasha said her name was Sango?" he asked.

Kagome gestured with a sigh to the figure sitting in her car.

Meanwhile:

Sango stared out the window and then rested her head on one hand. Then she chuckled.

It figured Kags was trying to set her up. Oh well, might as well face the music.


	2. Other couples

Fear of Man

**Okay, I only got 2 reviews, but that's okay, I just put it up.**

**Shippousangoffe**

**GothicAnimeGirl**

Sango stepped out of the car and, very reluctantly, walked over.

When she came to the group she put on the smile that she had taught herself to use, just so people wouldn't sense her sorrow.

Kagome introduced her to InuYasha and Miroku, and she shook their hands.

"C'mon, we've got lunch, you wanna come, Houshi?" InuYasha said bluntly.

"Yeah, please do Miroku, better four than three!" Kagome urged.

He glanced at Sango who seemed to be taking him in, and nodded.

They got back in Kagome's car, her and InuYasha in front, Sango and Miroku in back.

They watched each other while Kagome and InuYasha went into their own conversation.

"You look so sad…" Miroku whispered to her after a while, leaning his head on one of his hands.

Sango turned her head, hoping her hadn't seen her flush.

_Damn, he's making me blush! How can _he_ do that when no one else could!_ She thought _and how the hell did he know how I was feeling, everyone, even Kagome thinks I'm a happy person!_

Her thoughts were interrupted by Miroku grabbing her chin and jerking her face towards him.

He searched her eyes, looking for something.

Looking at her was driving him crazy. He took one look at her and something sparked inside of him.

He was sure she was the one.

He searched her eyes for a few minutes, and she tensed, determined to hide the pure terror that she felt.

He leaned forward and his breath tickled her ear.

"Are you scared of me, Sango? Do you think I'm going to hurt you?" he whispered, making sure to keep his voice low enough that even InuYasha couldn't hear, just the woman in front of him, cowering like a scared little girl.

Her eyes widened in surprise, she couldn't speak, how the hell did he know!

Without anything else to do, she shook her head in the affirmative, not sure what to expect.

"Why are you afraid of me?" she just managed to shake her head negative.

"You don't have to tell me now, but maybe you can whenever you're ready. I really want to help you with whatever's wrong with you…" he whispered, and then, just before he got out, since they had just arrived at the diner, he placed a small kiss behind her ear.

She fought the urge to scream and, on reflex, her fist made contact with his stomach, but not as hard as it had with Kuranoske.

She didn't even know him, but he was affecting her more than any man ever had in her life; in her terrible, traumatized life…at least, more than any man had in a good way. She couldn't believe it, but she had a new feeling in her. His breath on her ear was so tempting. His words were so…_caring._

People had cared about her before, but maybe…maybe she could actually tell him what happened. She never even told Kagome what had happened; just the police and even that hadn't helped, she had been the twelfth victim of twelve.

"I'm sorry, I…I'm just not good with men, I'm really sorry, are you okay?" Sango asked her voice full of concern. He smiled despite the pain and shook his head 'yes'.

She let out a sigh of relief, hoping all the same that this man, who might be her last chance, was not pushed away now because of her paranoia.

He got out of the car and stretched, then rubbed the spot on his gut that probably had a bruise now.

"Yo Miroku! What the fuck happened to you!" someone shouted.

Miroku and InuYasha turned to see Koga, Rin and Shessomaru.

Shessomaru looked cold and cool, as per usual, Rin was as bubbly as ever and took Kagome in a huge hug, and Koga was…Koga. His moods really tended to vary.

"Wuzzup Kagome! Rin! Sango!" a more feminine voice shouted.

Sango looked and saw Ayame rushing towards them, obviously on break as well.

She spotted Koga and stopped. They examined each other for a bit then embraced.

"What's going on here?" Miroku asked, raising his eyebrows.

"We're married, just got together a couple years ago! We had to go different places for work, but we never lost touch!" Ayame bubbled.

Miroku rolled his eyes as the three couples began bubbling about this-and-that and leaned towards Sango.

"Knowing them, this'll take a while. You wanna go in? My treat." He whispered in her ear.

"Sure, and it's my treat, it's the least I can do after punching you." She whispered back.


	3. Laugh for me Sango

Fear of Man

Miroku wasn't all too surprised at Sango's lack of conversation, but he still wished she would talk to him.

He was so busy trying to think of ways to start a conversation with her that he didn't notice Hachi trying to get his attention as he stared at the menu unseeingly. (I love it when Miroku-kun does that! He gets so deep in thought that he doesn't even see what he's looking at! It is _SOOOOOOOOO_ cute!)

"Miroku!" Sango shouted in his ear. He jumped and turned bright red.

"Huh?" he replied smartly.

Sango sat back down, sighing and rolling her eyes.

TWITCH

He swore he saw a glimmer of amusement in her chocolate pools and one corner of her mouth twitch upwards in an almost-smile.

"Hachi." She explained shortly, gesturing to the waiter.

"Hn? Hey Hachi, how've you been?"

"Just fine thanks. You two know each other? On a date maybe? You haven't had one in ages." He asked, looking between the two.

"NO! YOU KNOW BETTER HACHI!" Sango replied in anger, glaring daggers at him.

"Sorry Sango, I didn't mean any harm. So, the usual for both of you?"

"Yeah…" Sango sighed.

"Always." Miroku replied, handing back the menus.

He smiled, nodded, winked at Miroku, then left.

Miroku and Sango both rolled their eyes.

"When will people stop trying to set me up!" they muttered together, putting their head on their hands.

They looked up in surprise and stared at each other.

Now, let me tell you that this was a _very_ small table. So small that Miroku ducked his head slightly so that his face was a bit farther away from Sango's, and so that it didn't look like they were about to kiss.

Miroku leaned back into his seat and sighed.

"So…what do you do for a living Sango? I'm guessing you and Kagome work together, but I don't know what either of you do." Miroku began casually.

"Oh…I'm a secretary at a computer company. Ayame is in charge, Rin, Kagome and I all work in her office."

"Hm…Definitely a safer line of work than mine…" he replied pensively.

TWITCH

Sango's mouth twitched again. This was fun. He was going to make her laugh or smile or both.

"But then again, is there any more dangerous?" yes, this probably wouldn't be easy.

TWITCH

"I mean, sure there are body guards, but they really just care about how much they get paid. I mean, if I thought I was in danger, I would get a cop, not a body guard. For one, they cost thousands an hour. For two, they really don't care." He continued.

TWITCH

"For three, they really smell! I mean c'mon! I bet a toilet smells better! Haven't these guys heard of 'deodorant? Maybe they just lift up their arms and let the smell flow when they actually have to mess somebody up." He was starting to chuckle himself.

TWITCH

Kagome and the others walked in just in time to see Miroku and Sango burst out in a fit of hysterics.

InuYasha shook his head.

"He pulled the body guard jokes out again. That's the only thing that can make him laugh so hard he cries." he, Koga and Shessomaru rolled their eyes.

Kagome smiled to herself. She had always known something was wrong with Sango, but she didn't get into her business. She always assumed she was depressed from losing her family at a young age.

Seeing her laugh like she used to when she was a kid, a real, true laugh, it just warmed her heart. Miroku had been the one to make her laugh too.

When she refused to so much as look at men most of the time, let them touch her, here he was with his hand on her arm, laughing his head off with her.

She knew right away that she would have some fun playing matchmaker with them.


	4. Sango's Terrible Secret

Fear of Man

I DON'T OWN INUYASHA!

Sango didn't notice the others as they took as seat away from them, and truth be told she didn't really care.

She hadn't laughed like this in years.

She had laughed a fake laugh, but never like this.

She didn't care how many strange looks she was getting from others in the diner.

She leaned back and finally stopped laughing, and leaned back with a content sigh.

She could see that Miroku looked happy with himself for making her laugh.

Hachi came back and set down two plates, and Sango and Miroku were both shocked to see they both had the same thing: a cheeseburger, fries, and a few pickles on the side.

They both burst out laughing at the fact that they both ate the same thing every time they came here.

Sango sigh again once she finally finished, then picked up her cheeseburger and took a huge bite out of it.

Miroku didn't touch his, but he watched Sango.

_I'm in love. I can't believe it. I just wanna grab her and kiss her. She's just so…_tempting_! She's the one, I know it!_ Miroku thought as he watched her.

"I can't tell you how good it felt to laugh like that…" Sango said after a while.

"You have a beautiful laugh. You should use it more often." He replied, watching her like he was dreaming.

"Thanks, I've felt…empty…the last few years…" she whispered, her bangs covering her eyes, she put down her burger and picked up her diet root beer and put the straw in her mouth so she could take a long drink.

_Damn, I can't believe I just told him that!_

'_Get it together Sango! You just met this guy! You can't trust him that much!'_

_Maybe I can…_

'_You'll have to tell him now! You just _had_ to go and open your big mouth didn't you!'_

"Elaborate on that." He said, finishing his burger and starting his fries. She sighed.

"Miroku, when do you get off?"

"As soon as I finish some paperwork, but that can wait. I'd just have to get back to the station and get my car." He raised an eyebrow.

"I need two hours after we finish lunch."

"I can finish my paperwork in that time."

"Alright then, how about I meet you at the station?"

"Why?"

"Because, if I elaborate it will be sad and tear-filled and it just isn't right for here, so we'll do it at my place; unless you want to do it at yours?"

"I stay with InuYasha or at a motel every night; I'd rather not pay rent, I'm saving for when I find 'the one'." _And she's right in front of me._

"Well, my place is paid off, your obviously trust worthy, from what I know about InuYasha, you would have to be very much so to be such good friends with him, and I have plenty of room, so you can still save…"

"Are you making an offer?"

"What do you want me to say?"

"Yes"

"Than I am"

"Than I accept"

Sango smiled, this was good, she supposed.

They spent the better part of half an hour just learning about each other and kept up conversation all the way back to the station.

Two hours later Sango pulled up to the station in time to see Miroku come out. He waved and came to the window with a duffel bag.

"You ready?" she asked.

"Always" he smiled.

She led him to the small two bedroom apartment and brought him up.

He looked around; it was traditional, but not too much.

But maybe that was because he grew up in a Buddhist shrine.

Her home contained traditional Taiji items, and was quite cozy.

A huge boomerang was hung on the wall and obviously had a lot holding it in place.

Near that was a bookshelf with many awards and medals on it, each with a picture of a young girl with her age under it, starting at age five, and ending at eighteen.

They all had the same girl, and it was obviously Sango.

Upon closer inspection they were all of Sango. Past thirteen they were all for #1 fighter in a school-age tournament.

There wasn't one for twelve, but eleven and under were for ballet, soccer, basketball, girls' softball, and the like.

He also noticed how happy her eyes seemed the younger she was.

They emptied slightly at nine, a little more at ten and eleven, but starting at thirteen, they looked slightly dead, and they got worse with each year until she looked completely dead at eighteen.

"Yeah, I won _all_ of those, my father trained me to fight, he, my mother, and my little brother died in a car crash when I was nine." She said from next to him. She picked up the picture from when she was eight. Her whole family was in it. "I miss them a lot…" tears were glistening in her eyes, but she blinked them away.

_I've never cried in my life, I'm not going to start now._

She showed him around and got him settled in the guest room, then went in the kitchen and, as per usual, made some ramen for dinner.

They sat down and watched CSI: New York where Miroku pointed out some things that made it more obvious that it was _only_ a TV show; he was a _cop_ after all.

Hell, technically, he was a CSI.

Finally the show ended and as The Colbert Report came on Miroku snatched the remote and muted the television.

"Now, weren't you going to tell me about your past, you know mine, and that was the whole reason you wanted me here in the first place." Miroku said.

Sango gulped.

_He's a cop, he deals with this kind of stuff all the time, and he said…_

_(Flashback)_

'_I really want to help you with whatever's wrong with you…' he whispered._

(End flashback)

_He'll help me, I'm sure…_

"Miroku…" she whispered. She licked her lips, and swallowed. This was hard, but she was determined. Her throat was dry and tight. She took a drink of he water. "Miroku, when I was twelve…Someone did something horrible to me…"

"What?" this was getting interesting.

"You remember the cereal rapist, 11 rapes and murders?" this had to be a dream; she didn't want to do this…

"Yeah…" what did that have to do with anything?

"There were 12 rapes, 11 murders…" she wanted to cry, but she wouldn't, she refused!

"Sango, what do you mean?" he confused, terribly confused.

"I was raped when I was twelve…" her eyes were so warm.

His arms were around her, she felt his tears coming down gently onto her head and she couldn't hold it back.

For the first time in her life, she thought of everything bad.

The rape.

The car crash.

The murders.

The attempt at her life…


	5. Grope or Fondle

Fear of Man

I DON'T OWN INUYASHA!

Miroku cradled Sango in his arms as she burst into tears. She sobbed like someone had died. Technically, her brother, her mother, and her father had died. Technically, _she_ had died.

"Miroku…Promise you won't leave me too…" she sobbed. Miroku was actually happy to hear this. When Sango had lost everyone in her life, she wanted him, a _man_ that she had just met six hours ago, to stay be her side. He leaned down and nuzzled her hair.

"I'll be here at your side 'til the day I die." He whispered to her.

Sango's grip on the front of his shirt tightened and she looked up at him with tears steaming down her face. Despite all that her brow was furrowed in determination and her jaw was set firmly.

She drew herself up and rammed her lips against his. He could tell she had done it before, though obviously not willingly, and a very long time ago.

He knew he should have stopped, but he didn't want to.

His tongue slipped into her mouth and he tasted her.

He ran his tongue over every nook and cranny in her mouth, not missing a single spot.

She let out a soft groan of pleasure and pulled him backwards.

She landed with her back on the couch and him on top of her.

Her tongue twisted with his and he realized how wrong this was.

Miroku knew that he shouldn't take advantage of Sango like this, but he really wanted to.

He pulled away and they were both panting for air.

"Why'd you stop?" she asked.

"This…this is wrong…" he panted. "I don't have a right to do this to you, Sango. You only just met me, for Buddha's sake!" He made to get up but she held him down.

"Please Miroku, don't…" she whispered. He had to figure out something to make her mad. Finally he sighed. He hadn't done this in a long time, but it was the only thing that would save them both from this situation.

SQUEEZE!

SLAP!

"YOU LECHER HOW DARE YOU GROPE ME LIKE THAT!" she screamed as Miroku's head hit the coffee table. He stroked the stinging red hand print on his cheek.

"Sango, grope is such a harsh word! Fondle is much more appropriate." He smirked slightly.

Sango's face was bright red with flush and anger. She stormed off to her bedroom and slammed the door. Miroku sighed, stood, stretched, yawned, and then went to bed.

He realized that the only thing that wore him out more that a drug bust was Sango, he had gone through both, and now he was ready to pass out.


	6. Miranda rights

* * *

Fear of Man

Sorry for the long wait, but updates are gonna be farther apart. Luckily the story is almost done! I'm taking a different angle because I didn't like how it was going and I messed up loading the chappies.

I DON'T OWN INUYASHA!

Miroku put his signature on the end of a case report and stuck it in a file, then stretched, yawned, and checked his watch. He was now on time with his paperwork and he still had time before Sango came and picked him up. His car had broken down last week, and even though he had already gotten it back they enjoyed 'carpooling' so Sango would drop him off, pick him up for lunch, drop him off after, and pick him up when his shift ended, the same time as hers.

They had been living together for about a month now, and Sango really seemed like a great girl. Thinking about her made his insides turn and he got a powerful urge to do something stupid to show off how great he was whenever they went somewhere together, which he usually did, which made her laugh, that beautiful sound that she had graced him with the day they met.

He could here Shippo before he got into the office. He recognized the light 'pitter-patter' of the young man's feet. He was small, very small. Only four feet tall, he looked about five.

Miroku dove under the desk and crawled in a small circle until he could see Shippo's feet coming in the door.

"Damn it, Miroku, this isn't the time, I have something important to tell you, it's about Sango!" The 18-year-old shouted in frustration.

Miroku jumped out from under the desk and took a quick stride to get to Shippo, who pushed a folder at him. He took a quick glance at the tag. "Taiji, Sango" it proclaimed.

He opened it quickly and looked through it. Pictures of A young Sango laying in a hospital bed, a DNA sheet from the rapist, pictures of Sango's back, and the cuts on it stitched close. Miroku examined the DNA sheet.

"Wait…" he whispered. "Do you still have the Karamu murder file?!" he demanded from Shippo. He nodded his head furiously. Miroku ran into Shippo's office, running into InuYasha on the way.

"What's his problem?" he asked the adolescent.

"I dunno, but it has something to do with the Karamu murder." He replied.

"Ah-ha!!! I found it!!!!! I know who it was!!!!! Where the hell is Naraku!!!!" Miroku shouted.

"What the hell is going on Houshi?!" Naraku threw the door to his office open and shouted at the young man. Miroku came out of Shippo's office with a gun and a pair of handcuffs in his hands.

"You're under arrest, that's what the hell is going on!" he shouted, tackling Naraku.

Sango chose the worst time ever to walk in, but Miroku took no notice, he was too busy cuffing Naraku.

"Naraku Onigumo, you're under arrest for twelve counts of rape, eleven counts of murder, and one count of attempted murder. You have the right to remain silent, anything you say or do can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney, if you cannot afford an attorney, you will be provided one by the state. Do you understand these rights as they have been given?" Miroku recited to him from memory.

"Yeah, whatever, it took you long enough." The dark hair man muttered.


	7. Secrets?

Sango stood in shock as she watched Miroku handcuff the long haired man. The horrors came flowing back into her mind like a movie. Like she was experiencing it, but at the same time she was merely watching.

Naraku looked up at her with a malicious grin.

"She'll have to identify the criminal. Not by what you say, and since that's all you've got, along with an 8 year old memory, you've got no case." He cackled. "I'll be back on the streets before dinner."

Miroku looked afraid, as afraid as she was. An hour later she was sitting in the lounge with a cappuccino in her tremulous hands, waiting for them to finish gathering their line-up. Miroku came in and sat down next to her silently, resting his forehead on his hands.

"I was going to work the case." He sighed after a while. "But, because we've got such a '_personal_'" he said, making quotes in the air at the word _personal_ "relationship, I've been kicked off. Because InuYasha is going out with Kagome and she's your best friend, he's been kicked off as well. Our other two best agents, Naraku's daughters, Kagura and Kanna, can't work it because he's their father, despite the fact that blood is all that says that fact."

He let out another long sigh.

"I'm sorry. It's up to Shippo and Koga now. They want the two of us to testify in the case though."

"Miroku, I can't."

"Why?"

"Because. When I saw him, I was terrified. I'm too scared to testify…"

"Sango, you have to!" he said standing up. His voice didn't sound like one of encouragement; it was one of anger. She had never heard that voice before.

"No Miroku! There's no law, as you've said many times, that forces someone to testify!" she said back, also standing up.

"You have to Sango! I _need_ this man to go to jail! Not just for you, not just for the innocent little girls he raped and murdered like he tried to do to you, not just for their families, but for _me_ and _my_ family too!" he shouted. "You're the only one who can help me put him away! I _need_ you to testify! You and I are the only survivors of the horrible things he's done!" he said a bit softer.

"What do you mean?" she demanded. His face went dark and he lowered his head until his bangs shadowed his eyes, then he turned away.

"It's not important. Just…Whatever, I can't make you testify." He muttered, walking…no…shuffling…no, definitely sulking away.

When Sango got home that night she couldn't find him. A fair amount of his things were gone, to include his suitcases, and so was he. Finally she went into her bedroom and she found a note on her pillow.

_My dearest Sango-_

_I am afraid I have invaded your home for far too long. My past My _family's_ past is coming back to haunt me, much like your's is. Good-bye, after the trail, hopefully, we will never see each other again._

_-Lieutenant Houshi Miroku_

For the first time in a long time, she bowed her head and prayed._ ((And for the first time in a long time, she bowed her head to pray, she 'I'm sorry for the way…I've been living my life! And from now ooooon tonight… JESUS, TAKE THE WHEEL! Take it from my hands!_ Lol, sorry, the beginning of the paragraph made me think of that song…and I just tried to right Sango instead of song…)) She prayed he'd come back to her. That everything would be okay. That she'd have a chance to tell him that she…

No! There was no time to think about that!

She was pissed, thoroughly. Even with her identification and evidence they had found in his home, the judge they had brought it all to with hopes of getting an arrest warrant had let him go until the trial.

Sango reached one hand under the mattress and pull out a .32 caliber pistol.

She had a sinking suspicion that Miroku had a rough estimate of how many guns she had in her possession, to include at home, in her desk at work and in her car.

She had…maybe a million in weapons and ammunition, all registered in her name, all of which she fully knew how to use. She needed to buy ammo. All of her guns were empty from her time at the shooting range. There was a noise from the living room… She crept out carefully…

Meanwhile, Miroku threw himself down on the bed of a hotel room in a very pissed off mood…

((CLIFFHANGER!!!! R&R! Sorry I've been gone…))


	8. Tormented again

Miroku rolled over and sighed. No arrest. Perfect. That bastard ruined everyone's lives, didn't he? He'd probably flee to where their laws couldn't affect him. He glared at the ceiling and raised his right hand.

"Bastard…" he muttered. He removed the finger-less glove from his right hand, leaving the one on the left. He always wore them, to hide the scar. He had a circle in his right hand. The scar was from a car crash several years into his childhood, a car crash that had killed his family, and had, later, been directly linked to the serial rapist. He wasn't quite sure how, but the two crimes had been linked.

He sighed as his work radio began to go off.

"What's happening?" he asked himself, grabbing his gun and picking up the radio.

"Calling all available officers. All available officers. We have a domestic disturbance in Falling Sakura Apartment Buildings, Apartment Charlie Seven." He swore and rushed out with the radio in hand.

"Lieutenant Hoshi, responding to domestic disturbance."

"Roger that, Houshi. Captain Tiashio joining as back up."

"That's a negative, I don't need back up."

"Roger that."

Miroku drove out, speeding to the highest point he could with the license his job gave him.

"Damn it, I should have known." He cursed silently. "It's probably Naraku after Sango."

"Houshi! Damnitall Miroku! Stand down! You jack ass!!!" InuYasha's voice yelled into his radio.

**Before the report…**

Sango crept silently into the living room. The windows were open. She sighed, cursing herself for getting so worked up. She closed the windows and turned around, only to run into someone standing behind her.

The first thing she tried to do was scream at Miroku for standing so close. But then she remembered, Miroku wasn't…

She looked up and screamed.

"Hello my beauty…" Naraku drawled. "Looks like I get to enjoy you one more time before killing you off for good."

He grabbed her and shoved her into her bedroom and onto her bed, though she struggled to no avail.

"I read the report you gave the police. So, you had to get an abortion after I got you last time. This time you might need another… If you survive, that is…" he snickered.

She fought and kicked, but he pinned her down. His lips smashed down on hers and she tried to scream, but that only gave him entrance to her mouth. She tried to hit but he hit her. Tears streamed from her eyes as she screamed, and he hit her again. He kept hitting her, he wouldn't stop.

Finally she submitted to him. His hips pressed hers down against the bed as he forced his lips on hers. He sat up and grabbed her blouse. The blouse buttoned down and it was actually a nice shirt, as she had dressed up ever-so-much for when she went to see Miroku. Sango closed her eyes and tried to make everything disappear.

She tried to forget the fact that she was being raped.

That she was alone.

That she would die here.

That she had never had the chance to tell Miroku…

Tell him that she…

"Ms. Taija! Open up! This is the police!" Came a voice from outside.

"Damn it! Get out of the way!!!" yelled another voice.

There was silence, then the bedroom door burst open.

Naraku jumped and she kicked him off. There was a shot.

"Move an inch and I'll shoot again! This time you'll die!" Miroku growled at him.

Naraku, for the second time that day Naraku was cuffed and read his rights, though this time he would not be let off easily.

"You take care of her Miroku. I'm going to trust you to get her to the hospital and get her a rape kit." InuYasha said to Miroku. Houshi nodded and turned to Sango.

"Sango I-" She jumped at him before he could finish.

"Oh Miroku! I was so scared I thought I was going to die!" She cried with her arms around him. She curled up in his arms as he whispered soft words to her to help calm her down.

"Here, you might want this. You can't really touch anything here until we analyze the crime scene, and I doubt you want to go to the hospital in the nude." He whispered, offering her his jacket. She nodded with a sniff and whispered thank you as he wrapped it around her shoulders.

He picked her up and carried her off, down to his car.


	9. A trail of spiders

"Well, all we can say is this time, he wasn't as careful. He left major traces of DNA." The doctor told Miroku. He sighed and looked it over.

"Thank you. I'll make sure this gets filed into the report, Kikyo." The woman nodded.

"It's a shame. I worked on her a few years ago. Same thing happened too. After her parents were killed…Poor girl… Her little brother made it, but he's still in a coma…" she sighed.

"Is there anything in specific you could point out, or anything?"

"Well, she's very lucky. Last time she conceived. She's very lucky you got there or she might've again. He probably would have kept her alive just to burden her with the baby."

"Thanks Kikyo… This means a lot that you're helping us. And thanks again for not letting this out to the media…"

"Anytime Miroku."

He pushed open the door to Sango's room. She lay on the bed, sitting up and propped by pillows, playing with the food she had been given and staring at it, in her own little world.

"How are you doing?" he asked. He got no response. "Okay. Have a nurse contact me when you're doing better, okay? I'll go, I don't want to bother you." He smiled gently. He needed to show her that there were still people who cared.

"Stay…" she said in a hoarse whisper. He turned slowly and saw her looking up at him, her eyes empty.

"Feeling any better?" he asked sitting back down.

"Not really…" she whispered. Her voice was cracked and hoarse.

"Sango…I'm glad to tell you that we've got enough to get him at least 25 years without your testimony now." He said, hoping to tell her something good. "I'm just sorry you had to go through this for us to get that."

"Oh, I'm going to testify."

"Y-you are?!" he asked, surprised. "You know you don't have to."

"I know, but, now, I want him to pay…"

He nodded. Revenge, it gave a person enough courage to do anything.

"Miroku?"

"Yes?"

"When you said the two of us were the only survivors…?" He let out a long sigh.

"There was a car crash, a very long time ago, I was very young, and it killed my parents, almost killed me, I was in a coma for a few months. Several years later it was directly linked to the serial rapist."

"How? How could a car crash and a chain of rapes be linked like that?"

"It was…a mark. A mark left at every crime scene. At the car crash, the mark was carved into the side of our car, with the rapes, it was on the wall in the girl's blood, more often then not, or carved into her flesh." Sango gulped at his statement.

"What was it?"

"It was a series of lines." He said, taking a napkin off Sango's tray and a pen out of his pocket and beginning to sketch. "Making a rough formation of a…" he trailed off, drawing.

"…spider?" Sango finished as he completed his drawing.

"Yes, how did you…oh…oh no… did he?"

"Yes…On my back…"

"Do you mind if I take a look?" Sango shook her head.

Miroku, cautiously, shifted behind her and peeled back the nightgown to look at the scars. It was scary. It must have been truly painful to endure such a wound. It covered her back, rough scar tissue all over her back, roughly making a…

…Spider…


	10. love

Hey everyone, for those of you who missed me, I'm back, and I'm going to be posting more since we've only got like two more weeks of school! For those of you who think Sango's had it hard, I do too. I'm gonna try and give her a break…sorta. She'll get a break from something…

I DON'T OWN INUYASHA

Fear of Man

Sango sat at the witness stand a few weeks later, her hands folded carefully in her lap.

She had given her story. Both of them.

"You may be seated, Ms. Taijia." The Judge said. Sango nodded and took her seat. She sat quietly and listened to Miroku give his testimony, not just about his own incident, but also about the behavior he'd noted from Sango, the results of what Naraku'd done.

"Court is dismissed until 0900 tomorrow morning, so the jurors may reach a decision." The Judge said.

Sango woke up the next morning after a tense, difficult night; just in time to have her bedroom door thrown roughly open. Miroku ran in and pounced on her bed, and onto her.

"Miroku! What the hell is your problem!!!" she shouted.

"I let you sleep in. I just got word from InuYasha about the trial!"

"What! Tell me!"

"Found guilty of the crimes of thirty-three charges of murder in the first degree, 12 counts of rape, 1 count attempted rape, 1 count attempted murder, 1 count assult with intent to murder. He's got three fucking life sentences with no possibility of parol!"

Sango wanted to cry, she was so happy. She threw her arms around his neck and, as she had done the first day they met, she thrust her lips upon his in a passionate kiss.

Caught up in the sensation, Miroku returned the kiss enthusiastically.

"I think this causes for a celebration!"

"I think this calls for a confession, Miroku."

"Confession?"

"I love you."

The words had barely left her lips when his were crushing hers again. He pressed himself against her and his hands down her thighs. She made a small sound and she arched up to him. He groaned and began to grind against her hips, showing her his enthusiasm. She left something hard pressing against her leg, and she couldn't help but moan his name as he began kissing down her neck.

This would be a wonderful day, she could feel it.

Kagome blushed as she heard the sounds coming from the speaker in InuYasha's office.

"Let's give those two some privacy, eh?" he said, turning off the speaker.


	11. A diamond of this size

WOOOOOOO! Break is almost here, that means almost daily updates! After camp, and if I have the time. But still, WOOOOOOTZ! Lol. Hey, all my pretties, can ya'll throw some ideas mah way when ya review?! I'm hur ta pleez! Lol. needs a refresher lit course

I DON'T OWN INUYASHA!!

Miroku sighed, taking deep heavy breaths, wiping sweat from his brow.

How long had it been since they'd began?

His thought process stopped as she purred and moaned, begging for more. He took a deep breath.

"I cannot deny you…" he murmured softly. He flipped her over and pressed himself against her, kissing her deeply.

"I love you, Miroku." She whispered.

"I love you too." He replied.

Kagome flushed as InuYasha pressed the speaker button to turn it off, and hung up the receiver.

"WOW! I hoped she'd get close to Miroku, but all this after a month!?" Kagome laughed, flushing.

The next day, Miroku, by some strange twist of fate, met up with Kagome and InuYasha at a jewelry shop. InuYasha was letting her pick out a piece for her birthday that was coming up, and Miroku…well, they were about to find out what he was doing.

"Hey, 'Roku, what're you doing here?" InuYasha said suddenly, making the young man jump.

"Oh, god InuYasha, don't do that!" he shouted.

"Sorry, what're you doing?"

"Just…procuring some lovely gems…" he replied. Kagome leaned onto the counter as Miroku pointed down to one of the items.

"Why're you looking at rings, Miroku?" she asked.

"No real reason…" he breathed.

"Here you go, sir, the girl couldn't possibly refuse you with a diamond of this size." The jewelry store manager said.

"An engagement ring?" Kagome and InuYasha both asked, looking at the section the man had pulled it from, both gapping in surprise, they looked to Miroku, who flushed slightly.

He wrote a check quickly for the price charged, and took the ring in a small velvet case.

"If either of you breath a word to her, I will kill you." He said cheerfully. "Tata, I'll see you two at our little dinner tonight." He smiled and waved farewell.

InuYasha and Kagome both stared after him in shock as he left.

WOOO! Ideas? Chaos at the dinner, possibly? Hm... tell me what you want and I shall write it!


	12. Protective Custody

Hey, okay, refresher literature has been taken, before you ask. I've gotten some good ideas, and I'll go with my original idea, since I actually got a request with it, and I'll try to throw the other requests in as well. Not everything works though, as some people have contradictory ideas.

I DON'T OWN INUYASHA!!

With InuYasha and Kagome…

InuYasha drove back to the station with Kagome, his break being over and her car being at the station, only to see everything in complete and utter chaos. Officers were being dispatched, and Shessomaru, now taking charge with Naraku finally gone.

"INUYASHA, WHERE THE HELL IS MIROKU!?!?" he demanded.

"He's got a day off today, why?" InuYasha asked.

"We need to get him and Sango in protective custody, Naraku escaped." Shessomaru replied.

Meanwhile, with Sango…

Sango flopped down on her bed, tired. She still had two more weeks of paid leave from work from all this court business. She curled up in her pillow.

Miroku really knew how to wear he out, he seemed to know all the right spots to hit. She sighed as her bedroom door began to open. Miroku had gone out to pick up some pizza and run an errand, and thus she assumed that it was him entering the room.

Suddenly, she felt cold. A hand ran up her spine gently, lustfully, making her shiver. But not in pleasure the way Miroku did.

She rolled over and looked at the person touching her so lustfully, so longingly. She stared, wide-eyed, and screamed.

Meanwhile, with Miroku…

Miroku stopped to pick up the pizza and drove back to the apartment just in time to hear Sango's screams of pain as a gun went off within the apartment. He slammed his car door, grabbing his gun. He ran up to the apartment and opened the door.

He got a sudden hatred for doors that open in, as Sango's door was barricaded.

Yeah…you don't have to say it…it was short…I'm sorry… V.V'

R&R, please?

V it says 'click me'


	13. Bloody hole

I DON'T OWN INUYASHA!!

Sango gasped at the searing pain in her leg, but she still had it.

She knew what she was doing.

She knew the consequences.

She knew the danger.

And she didn't care.

She'd done it anyways.

As blood pooled onto the bed from her leg, her head flopped back onto the bed and she passed out.

But she was smiling.

The view moved, from Sango's smiling, sleeping form, to that of Naraku.

There was blood on the wall behind where he'd stood, but he wasn't there anymore.

The view moved to the floor.

A single gun casing on the floor.

The view moved left and finally landed on Naraku.

Naraku lay there, motionless.

With a bullet hole between his eyes.

Meh, it's short, I'm sorry. I just had to do it!!! I HAD TO!!!!

R&R or DIE! Like Naraku! w


	14. Shit

I DON'T OWN INUYASHA!!

Miroku slammed his shoulder into the door, knocking a few things within down, his work radio in hand.

"This is Lietenant Houshi, requesting backup in Falling Sakura Apartment Buldings, Apartment Charlie Seven, requesting an ambulance, gunfire has been heard, I repeat, gunfire!!"

"Houshi, this is Taishio, I'm on my way."

"Roger that! Hurry InuYasha!"

Less than ten minutes later InuYasha was there, and they'd bashed in the door vigorously and mercilessly. There was no gun fire anymore, but Sango's bedroom door was locked.

Wait…what was that…?

What is that…?

He bent closer, looking at the crack under the door, trying to figure out what was dribbling out.

Blood...

"Sango!" he shouted, bashing his shoulder furiously on the door, InuYasha trying to help the enraged young man.

"Get outta the way, Miroku!" InuYasha shouted, backing up. When Miroku was clear, he ran forward and kicked the door hard, knocking it in. Miroku ran in, jumping over the body of Naraku as InuYasha checked the walls, area, and body.

Miroku had Sango in his arms.

Sango opened her eyes slightly and rubbed her head and Miroku gently pried the gun from her fingers.

"It's okay…you did good." He whispered.

"Thank you…" she muttered, passing out once again.

Miroku examined her leg.

"Stab wound in left thigh." he proclaimed, sighing heavily.

"COD: Bullet to the head, time of death, 1525." InuYasha sighed. "Weapon, .9 mm pistol." he added, using a pen from his pocket to pick up the weapon, before setting it back down.

Miroku called the station, then an ambulance. "I'll escort her to the hospital. We'll probably be in trouble for being here and not claling right away, esecially since we're close friends with her."

When the police arrived, Shessomaru was with them. Miroku and InuYasha weren't premitted to leave the scene until they gave a finger print and DNA sample, and they got their lecture from Shessomaru.

"You two are complete and utter idiots! I should put you on unpaid suspension for this shit!" he shouted repeatedly. That was the basis of the lecture, that they were idiots. Finally, Shessomaru having blown off all of his steam, they left.

Two weeks later, Sango was cleared of all charges, not guilty by reason of self-defense.

The dinner they planned for the night of the attack was postponed until after the trial, just so they could celebrate.

InuYasha, being himself, forgot all about the ring.

Kagome, however, didn't.

Kagome stopped mid sentence about the middle of the meal, when she saw Miroku's hand snaking down towards, seemingly, his pocket...

"You know, Sango-chan..." he was saying.

CLIFFIE!!! MUWHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! R&R or I'll just have some deranged child of Naraku's, or somehting like that, come and cap 'em all in their sleep!!!


	15. Not thinking

"You know, Sango-chan..." Miroku said, a bit lazily, to the woman. "I'm glad I met you, really I am."

"You've said that several times, Houshi-sama." she replied, smiling when he flinched.

Miroku took a bite of his food, quirking an eyebrow at her. He fingered the ring in his pocket quietly. Glancing at his watch, he smiled.

Almost time.

"Hey, let's get our desert now so we can have it ready by the time we're done, alright?" InuYasha suggested.

Right on que.

"I'll be back, I need the lavatory." he said, standing up. "Sango, try the mousse, it's delicious!" he said to her with a wink before heading off.

Miroku came back just before the waiter arrived.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" he asked.

The two girls ordered the mousse, Miroku a slice of cheese cake, and InuYasha a sunday.

Several minutes later, as they were eating the dessert, Sango swore.

"What's wrong? Sango-chan, are you okay?" Kagome asked.

"Something in my food!" she said, before reaching two fingers in her mouth and attempting to pull it out. Miroku sat there, grinning.

Finally pulling the offending object out of her mouth, she wiped it off with her napkin, then gasped.

"Wh-wh-what the hell?!" she shouted out, as she stared at the ring with a large diamond atop it.

"Sango?" Miroku said softly, grabbing one of her hands and sliding out of his chair. Everyone was watching them. The whole restauraunt.

"Mir...ok...ku...?"

"Will you marry me, Sango-chan?" he asked, getting down on one knee.

Sango stared. She was scared again. She'd just started getting close to him, and she didn't even think. Her fear worked for her.

"No."


	16. Crying in the background

AN: I've gotten LOTS of flames about the last chapter, and I just wanna say STFU. I've been busy, and, actually, that was requested by someone, and, also, it adds to drama, angst, and it adds length to the story. So, no worries. I hate stories without a happy ending. Everything always works out in the end. nod nod

I DON'T OWN INUYASHA

Fear of Man

'No.'

She said 'no'...

The rest of the meal passed in an uncomfortable silence, and, afterwards, Miroku...disappeared.

A week later, he sighed, approaching InuYasha's door.

He'd just had the _strangest_ conversation with InuYasha over the phone.

_**.:Flashback:.**_

_**ring ring**_

_**Miroku grumbled, shoving a pillow over his head.**_

_**ring ring**_

_**He glanced at the caller I.D.**_

_**ring ring**_

_**It was InuYasha.**_

_**ring ri-**_

_**"Houshi Miroku?"**_

_**"Hey, Miroku, it's InuYasha."**_

_**"Hey Yasha. What's up?" he sighed in response.**_

_**"You gotta get down here."**_

_**"Down here?"**_

_**"To my place."**_

_**"Why?" What was that in the background...?**_

_**"Cause I said so." It sounded like a woman...**_

_**"What's this about, Yasha?" Crying...**_

_**"Just get your ass down here." he hung up.**_

_**"Weird..." he muttered, hanging up his own phone.**_

_**.:End Flashback:.**_

And here he was. Standing on InuYasha's doorstep, listening to the faintest sound of a woman crying in the background.


	17. Did you just?

I do not own InuYasha (tm), or any of its characters, or anything about this story except for the plot. Fear of Man (tm) is produced in Germany under the hard work of 'SangoloveLance', or whatever my current username is.

Enjoy.

Miroku, hesitantly, knocked on the door. The sound of rushing foosteps came and Kagome threw the door open. Not waiting for a words from either, she grabbed him by the collar, pulled him in, and shoved InuYasha out, following him.

.e Wait...what just happened?

Now he was stuck in the house with no one but the upset woman whom he'd overheard on the phone earlier.

And guess who?

"Miroku?"

He said nothing, but just looked away.

"Miroku-kun...g-g-gomen-n-nasai..."

"Don't appologize."

"Gomen."

"Please, don't. It's perfectly fine."

"Iie, it isn't."

"Hai, it is, Sango-chan." he replied, offering her a weak smile and spreading his arms to offer her a hug. She accepted, burying her tear-stained face in his chest, sniffling.

"Houshi-sama, gomen-"

"Do not appologize." he told her firmly, giving her a little squeeze. "It's alright. You're not ready to...'go the distance'. It hurts, but I can deal with it until you are." he said in a soothing tone, rocking her gently.

"Arigato, Houshi-sama."

"Sango-chan?"

"Hai?"

"Please don't call me '-sama'."

"I'll stop..._eventually_." she added under her breath, causing his chest to rumble in her ear as he chuckled.

The two stayed there in a comfortable silence until...

"Sango-chan?" he asked, looking down at her oddly.

"Hai?"

"Did you just grope me?"

"Grope is such a harsh word!" she giggled. "Fondle is much more appropriate!"

Miroku laughed deeply and kissed the tip of her nose. "I've rubbed off on you, I see."

xP Short, but so what? A friend of mine was talking to me about that quote after he read it, so I had to reuse it. Just for you, Houshi-sama! hugs


End file.
